Academic Planning: An Overview

Page address: https://www.mnsu.edu/academicplan/overview.html

What is an Academic Master Plan?

Overall Definition

An Academic master plan is a core component of robust integrated University strategic planning linking vision, priorities, people, services, resources, and the physical institution in a flexible process of evaluation, decision-making, and action.

Academic master planning will enable us to prepare for and shape the future, rather than let the future happen to us. Our academic planning process will yield a comprehensive academic plan that will define the kind of institution we want to be in regard to our academic program; teaching excellence and innovation; academic advising; academic engagement programs and opportunities; and research, scholarly and creative activity. Additionally, our Academic Master Plan will:

1.Uphold and connect the current strategic plans for the academic colleges – Allied Health and Nursing; Arts and Humanities; Business; Education; Science, Engineering, and Technology; Social and Behavioral Sciences; University Extended Education; Graduate; and the Memorial Library.

2.Provide coherence in the strategic plans for the divisions of the University – Finance and Administration (i.e., budget, facilities), Information Technology Services, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Advancement, and Strategic Partnerships.

3.Advance the University’s Strategic Priorities.

4. Support the System’s Strategic Framework to ensure access to an extraordinary education for all Minnesotans; be the partner of choice to meet Minnesota’s workforce and community needs; and deliver to students, employers, communities, and taxpayers the highest value/most affordable option.

a.High Impact Practices – Learning Communities, First Year Experience, Undergraduate Research, Service Learning, Honors, International Study, Internships, and so on

b.Academic Support Services – Tutoring, Mentoring, Accessibility Services, Career Development, and so on

7.Research, Scholarly, & Creative Activity

a.Production, Application, Dissemination

b.Research Support

c.Grants & Sponsored Projects

Why do we need an Academic Master Plan?

A comprehensive academic master plan will provide a framework to advance our academic vision, mission and values as the environment in which we do our work continues to rapidly change and evolve. It provides an intentional path forward to assuring our academic programs and services continue to prepare graduates for work, life, and citizenship. In addition,

·To help us discover what new and revised program directions and curriculum changes will meet current and future needs of students and employers.

·To achieve our long term aspirations for the production, dissemination, and application of new discovery and creative expression; that is, to support research, scholarship, and creativity, and benefit from partnerships at the state, national, and international levels – to define the kind of institution we want to be in regard to research.

1. The institution allocates its resources in alignment with its mission and priorities.

2. The institution links its processes for assessment of student learning, evaluation of operations, planning, and budgeting.

3. The planning process encompasses the institution as a whole and considers perspectives of internal and external constituent groups.

4. The institution plans on the basis of a sound understanding of its current capacity. Institutional plans anticipate possible impact of fluctuations in the institution’s sources of revenue, such as enrollment, the economy, and state support.

In summary, if we try to be all things to all people, we will inevitably stretch ourselves too thin and find it difficult to be exceptional at anything. But if we decide not to do everything, but to select carefully where our growth should occur, we have opportunity for greater success.